New New?

This is an odd time in my gaming career and in my adventures as the Do-Nothing-Man. Disinterest has infected my perspective of gaming. I mentioned earlier that I'm consistently playing Diablo 3 on my computer and Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness on my hacked PSP. That's it.

I've taken little breaks to play things like Aliens: Colonial Marines and The Walking Dead. I even sat down to play Halo 4 with my roommate for the first time in several months last weekend. The point is: I haven't been playing much. And, I'm not necessarily happy with what I have been playing.

Even with games like Diablo and Disgaea, the repetitive nature of each game is wearing on me. On both of these titles, it's the grinding and leveling up that initially peaked my interest; however, I find myself only able to stand Disgaea in smaller and smaller segments. Clear a couple levels in the Item World, and then I'm putting my PSP to sleep. Diablo 3 is getting a similar treatment; I measure my playing time in accumulated gold. Once I acquire 100,000 gold in a play session, I'm done. Paragon levels don't even interest me anymore. In both games, I'm chilling in the end-game, doing only the things that I want to do. And I'm still getting a little burnt out.

What I've noticed while playing these two favorites is that I'm in no mood for marathon gaming sessions. A couple years ago, I could sit and play Fallout 3 all freakin' day. That doesn't happen anymore. Part of it could be that I have a standing desk now; when I'm playing Diablo 3, I'm on my feet. Not sitting on my ass. But I've had the standing set-up for over a year and when D3 first came out, I was playing marathon sessions to power level my crazy Witch Doctor.

The PSP is a little different; I'm usually playing Disgaea while sitting on our porch (now things are warming up) or while in bed right before going to sleep. Plus, that little machine is hacked, so I'm constantly tinkering with it while it's connected to my computer. I need to learn how to take my own screenshots. There must be a way.

I thought, for the longest time, that I could be a perfectly content gamer only playing Disgaea and Diablo (at the time I was thinking of Diablo 2), maybe include a Resident Evil 2 play-through every so often. Disgaea and Diablo will always be go-to games for me for me, but maybe it's time for me to branch out and play something that's completely outside of my gaming repertoire.

What a weird word.

Data Without Borders

Tragedy struck yesterday morning. Performing my normal Sunday morning responsibilities as the designated technical export for our youth group, I was setting up the Sunday school classrooms to play a couple video clips. Boring stuff mostly, but one was the scene from The Last Crusade with Indiana taking the leap of faith to reach the Holy Grail. Awesome. Anyway, I finished the setup and my laptop borked. Just gone. Like all the internal components completely disappeared. Unfortunately I had to do my job so I set my computer aside and hopped to a back-up machine. The entire morning I just figured that my little Acer, my mobile writing machine, was a goner.

After I did the standard plug/unplug/remove battery shuffle (which didn't solve anything), I hopped on the interwebs and discovered that this is a pretty common problem for Acer machines. I was able to fix and update the bios, but the scare really got me thinking about data back-up and what steps I should take to avoid a real disaster in the future.

Being the avid PSP gamer that I am, I was instantly reminded of Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker and the Militaires Sans Frontières or MSF for short. I need a solution that is essentially data without borders. A means to access all of my data from any machine. My first thought was Dropbox, which I have, but only a measly 3.25 GB free account. The only problem is that I need my 3.25 GB account to transform into one of those free 16 GB accounts. To do that, I have to recruit users to Dropbox. And I'm doing that with some assistance and success. But I need a better option.

Lifehacker posted a timely article about backing-up data today and it was a stern reminder that I'm not doing everything that I can to keep my information safe from the inevitable failure of technology. That's correct people. Technology will fail. Stuff will break. The glass is already broken. So is my laptop.

The Future of Video Games?

I guess I understand the precautions and the security that are seemingly imminent in the next generation of video game consoles.
I don't like it.

Consider the PSP. I believe that there were two types of people excited to hold the portable powerhouse of 2004/2005. The first type (this was me back then) plucked the PSP from its packaging and said: This amazing little machine can do so much!

The second type saw the potential of the PSP and said:
This amazing little machine can do so much more!

Sony already knew this (or realized it shortly after) because newer iterations of the PSP unloaded features and updates left and right. Still, we wanted more out of the PSP and people hacked it up, adding even more features to the amazing machine. Of course, hacking led to stolen games, which Sony claims is the reason for locking the PS Vita down.

I slowly grew into the second type of PSP owner. Unfortunately, Sony won't acknowledge the hacker ingenuity and creativity that grew out of the PSP. For example, you can use a hacked PSP for a USB monitor now. That's crazy. And amazing. And awesome.

My point here, when it comes to video games, give us Isla Sorna instead of Isla Nublar. Set the limits: it's an island. If you want to play with this video game console, you're going to have to stay within these boundaries or you'll drown. However, imposing too many limitations and needless security is going to cause problems, just like it did on Isla Nublar. With Samuel L. Jackson dying.

Sony needs to make something awesome, then sell that awesome thing and its island to the consumers, saying: here's the PS4 and here's the PS4's island, now make this awesome thing better.

There's Too Much M in UMD

It's March. I guess I'm supposed to be mad or something. Let's see, is there anything I can be mad about? Technically, this March celebrates my one year anniversery of ceasing to be the Do Nothing Man. I can't really complain about that; even though I'm employed, I still do plenty of nothing.

The fact that the PS Vita isn't getting the UMD transfer passport program in the states kind of pisses me off. I mean, makes me mad, march mad. Too much M.

Anyway, I have a decent UMD library. And I bought what will probably be my last UMD PSP game this week from Amazon. That makes the count twenty games with three UMD Resident Evil movies for a total twenty-three part collection.

What about another type of madness? What if the UMD had actually succeeded? Knocking off DVDs and CDs as perfered media, there would be packs of ten blank UMDs and a special drive for computers (or you could take the stupid plastic shell off the disc). Car UMD players and special visor sleeves. Out there, occupying the infinite space between the atoms of our universe, exists another universe where the UMD dominated. Think about that. That's madness.

Eventually the physical disc format will completely die, but I wish the UMD had caught fire and lived until the age of the Blu-ray. Blu-UMD? Think of all the crazy data we could've squeezed onto those cute little discs.

Happy PS Vita Day!

In regards to my Valentine's Day post, I've decided to pass on the Playstation Vita for now. This conclusion was mostly reached over the weekend during a Lumines lazy afternoon on Saturday. So I crafted three arguments for why I can wait on the PS Vita.

1. I still play and love my PSP. It's battery life isn't what it used to be, but my silver PSP-3000 still gets playing time, usually in the form of Disgaea, but I whipped out Lumines and AvP: Requiem for a change of pace. I should chat about my library of PSP games sometime. Noted. Saving for later. As long as my PSP is operational, I will continue to use it. But this did bring one question to mind: If I download PSP titles for my future PS Vita, will I be able to transfer my current save data to the new console? Must find this answer.



2. How much money could I save by waiting? Right now the WiFi PS Vita is 249.99. The two games I'd buy right off the bat are Lumines: Electronic Symphony and Gravity Rush. Only one is a launch title, but both will run 39.99 as new games. On top of all this, I'll need one of Sony's proprietary memory cards; it's go big, or go home on this subject for me. I plan on embracing the digital distribution (so long as Sony keeps the hackers out, another good reason to wait and see) and pick up a 32 GB memory card for 99.99. On top of this, I'm going to want a case to protect this hot, new piece of technology. I'm not really sure what that will run me, but there is a bundle out there for another 39.99. It comes with a 4 GB memory card (which I won't need) but let's use it for the sake of the argument. Are you keeping track of all this math?
   

   249.99 + 39.99 + 39.99 + 99.99 + 39.99 = 469.95

   The grand total for everything, brand new, is 469.95. Also, let's think about sales tax. In Ohio, shoppers have to worry about a state tax and a county tax, which are 5.50% and 1.25% respectively. So, shopping at my favorite Best Buy in Grove City, Ohio, the tax comes out to 31.72. You want more math, you got it.
   

   469.95 + 31.72 = 501.67

   So the ultimate total for everything, brand new, is 501.67. Half an effing grand. The big question (or challenge, however you look at it) is: How much could I save if I waited a year to pick this bad-boy up? My psychic ability tells me there's a price drop in the PS Vita's future. Even if I'm a terrible psychic, this possibility is good enough reason to wait.


3. Besides, look at the Nintendo 3DS. This silly little handheld launched in the U.S. with a price of 249.99. That was in February 2011. At the end of July 2011, Nintendo slashed that price to 169.99; a significant drop and one that made the device much more appealing at a time when better games were becoming available. I think history will repeat itself here. Plus, right now, I'd rather go out and buy a Nintendo 3DS and a copy of Resident Evil: Revelations.

Which is exactly what I'm going to do.

Pick A Side, Buy With Pride

So I've got a crap-ton of 3DS links and articles tabbed up in one Chrome window and a second Chrome window filled with another crap-ton of PS Vita links and articles. The question is: If I can only have one, which portable gaming device should it be?

Erroring on the side of caution, I'm always happy to wait on the brand new console and let its first batch of bugs work through the system. This means that I feel comfortable picking up a Nintendo 3DS right now. It's rookie year is almost over and there's one particular Resident Evil game that I want to play.

The PS Vita, on the other hand, is the shiny new toy. I played with one at a Best Buy while it was attached to a young man like a high-tech ball and chain. Did I mention shiny? It was shiny.

Only the Little Deviants game was playable, but I fiddled with camera (wasn't impressed) and the UI (enough to know that I still prefer buttons over touch screen tapping) and thoroughly annoyed the machine's fleshy anchor. The only launch-day game I'm interested in is the new Lumines: Electronic Symphony. Gravity Rush also looks neat, but that's it. New game prices are over-priced for games that just look neat. Of course, there's a Disgaea 3 port in the pipe, but I didn't really care for Disgaea 3 on the PS3, so I'm not biting at the moment. Just looking.

The big question right now: What are the chances that Resident Evil Revelations will end up on the PSV? I hope that those chances are good. However, an excellent counter point is that no Resident Evil game appeared on the PSP in its entire lifetime. I'm not counting the PS1 "classic" downloadables. Here's to hoping.

For now, I can stick with my trusty silver PSP. But if Nintendo cuts the price of the 3DS to compete with the PSV, I might have to cave.

A Mess, A Messy Mess

My mind is just crapping out on me right now. I can't think of anything to draw on my board and my sinuses are so clogged up that I think my head might actually explode. My neck is even starting to hurt under the pressure.

Writing mode is set to random right now; I just want to see where this goes. For no real reason, I've been browsing /r/pokemon lately and all that has done is make me want to draw a crazy picture of Mr. Mime. Maybe winter is actually killing me. It's not even that cold here. Nasal cavity monsters are making it impossible to breathe through my nose.

Pokemon entered into my gaming universe as a curious little specimen "mon" partly because I knew nothing about it and partly because I only had a Game Boy at the time. Blue and Silver were the only games that I played; my neighbor owned the counter-parts. When we learned that the new GBA games were not trade-compatible with our games, my neighbor and I quit playing all together. Does one really quit playing Pokemon? Hrm. Anyway, I came back with the remakes of Gold and Silver for the Nintendo DS.

Yes, I own a Pokewalker. What amazed me on the remake was the ability to trade via the WiFi connection. Had that existed way back with Red, Blue, Gold, and Silver, I probably would not have hung up the trainer cap and "quit."

My DS Lite and SoulSilver cartridge are collecting dust right now. But they're having to compete with my PSP and Disgaea's Item World. The funny thing is that both are grinding games and the grinding sessions of both can be pretty mindless.

The world of pokemon seems rife with story-telling potential, but I've not seen any of the games tap into that vastness. A real shame, in my opinion.

And that's how my do nothing blog turned into a pokemon fan fiction blog. Ha! Dear Lord, no.

Demotivational Properties of December

December has felt like a severely-off month. For the first time in my life, I'm bothered by commuting to work in the dark and returning home in the dark. It weighs on me. Makes me feel like doing nothing. Not even video games. I've been on a four day Skyrim break. After work, when I get home, all I want to do is watch T.V. or sleep. Of course, I don't actually watch television; I threw in disc 1 of the Full Metal Alchemist series and hit play all. With eight discs of this anime (I don't have, nor have I seen Brotherhood), I can continue for seven more business days. The weekends don't count, obviously. I find things to do.

During these dark times, I find myself returning to my PSP and Disgaea while bundled up in bed. Flipping between Dark Hero Days and Afternoon of Darkness takes its toll after extended stays in the item world. The Demotivational Properties of December. If this observation were a natural law, classified and categorized by scientists, it would have that title. Perhaps this subtitle: "Winter's Return to Disgaea." I'll draft the abstract as soon as winter is over. In May.

It's a scary thought, but this observation does confirm something I've long suspected. If I could only ever play one video game, that video game would be a Disgaea game. Which game in the series? Well, I'm working on narrowing that part down.

I've heard this diagnosed as seasonal depression, which doesn't seem accurate because:

1. I'm not depressed, just feeling lazy.
2. If this were truly seasonal, shouldn't it happen during other seasons too?
3. Where does the affinity for my favorite SRPG come in? That does not make sense.

Wookies don't live on Endor.

"One theory is that reduced sunlight during fall and winter leads to reduced production of serotonin in the the brain." Thanks, WebMD. Now I'm paranoid. The good news is that this laziness has not crossed into my work life. I'm just as distracted as I always am.

Anyway, here's my prescription: grind in the item world until geo panels make you hurl, return to Skyrim, kill a dragon, feel awesome, and (finally) make fun of the stupid guards.

Getting Back To It

Puzzles. I like puzzles, especially the complex ones that challenge me to understand the how and why something works. If it’s extremely complicated, I love sifting through instructions with detailed explanations. Anything from simple Lego instructions or cooking recipes to how-to hacking guides or circuit schematics (which still look like weird little maps to me).

The challenge has always been the draw for me. Can I do it?

Under normal circumstances, the answer is yes, but with a little help. I'm ok with that, which is why I love sites like gamefaqs. Their all-text guides and forums are usually my go-to-place for videogames that have me stumped. Similarly, instructables is a great place for DITY guides and advice; I turn there for ideas on how to do anything and everything.

The puzzles that have confounded me the most as of late have been the hacking of current and recent game consoles. The long gone, but not forgotten, Sega Dreamcast was my first successful excursion into the world of console modding. Not sure why I held onto that old girl, but I never traded in my Dreamcast nor my three favorite games: Code Veronica, Jet Grind Radio, and SW: Demolition. After finding a boot disc iso and the right burner program, my library of DC games went from 3 to whatever the internet has to offer.

High off the fumes of success, I turned my sore little fingers (from hours of button mashing through Marvel Vs. Capcom 2) to my phat PSP. Hacking that little bugger was much more difficult, even with the guides. After two weeks of step-by-step trial and error, I finally bricked my PSP-1000. Eighty bucks down the drain. I did buy it used, but I was still pissed. Eighty bucks is big money to me.

Failure is part of life. I still have that bricked PSP as a friendly reminder.

The next target was and still is the Xbox (the first one, the old one). Why the Xbox? Well, I was initially going for the XBMC set-top box. That was the goal when I started. Now, the ultimate achievement is XBMC with retro gaming functionality. I’m talking emulators and roms from NES to N64, maybe some PS1 (if that’s even possible).

Using the Splinter Cell and Action Replay dongle softmod trick I installed/accessed the replacement dashboard Evolution or Evox. Success, right? And I stopped right there, not wanting to screw something up.

Therein lies the greatest barrier: I had to be willing to fail and completely destroy my Xbox. At the time, coming off the PSP disaster, I wasn't ready to brick another perfectly functional console. Frozen and afraid to try. Afraid to continue. It's basically the same as failing. So, time to get back to work; I found a good place to help pick up where I left off.

I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can't accept not trying.

~Michael Jordan